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Natural remedies for the 15 most common aches, pains, and health complaints
By Sarah Irani, EcoSalon
Is the economy beating you up? Its time to get creative. Next time you have an
ache or pain, forget about a costly trip to the drugstore and test-drive some
of your grandmothers remedies instead. It ll save money and be gentler on your
body and the environment. Recessionistas (and gents), welcome to the DIY
medicine cabinet.
1. Stop Bleeding
Youd think it would burn, but a sprinkle of cayenne pepper on a cut will
quickly stop the bleeding and actually relieve the pain.
2. Toothache
Theres nothing so bad as the shooting pain of a toothache. You dont want to
ignore a tooth problem, because an infection that close to your brain can be
extremely dangerous if it spreads. But in order to reduce swelling and pain
while you wait for a dentist appointment, try putting a few drops of clove oil
on your tooth and gums, and bite down on a smashed piece of garlic (which has
excellent antibacterial properties). This has always worked for me.
3. Rashes and Allergies
Prescription and OTC antihistamines can cause some serious side effects. Before
you head for the strong stuff, try green tea, which contains compounds with
antihistamine properties. Youll need to drink 2-3 cups a day to get the full
effect.
4. Athletes Foot
Its a foot fungus, and it stinks. Air those piggies, then soak them in salty
water, wash them with garlic juice, or soak them with diluted white or apple
cider vinegar. All of these things will help kill the fungus.
But you have to be persistent, consistent, and diligent: No matter what
treatment you use, do it a few times a day and stick with it until at least a
week after you think the symptoms are gone! Fungus excels at hiding out and
coming back when you least expect it.
5. Acne and Sensitive Skin
First, you really have to look at your lifestyle, because imbalances in your
health can show up in your skin. But in the meantime, wash your face with
oatmeal. Its a gentle exfoliant and draws out oil and impurities.
6. Ear Infections
Ear infections can become quite serious and cause permanent damage, so please
see a doctor if your ear ache has become severe.
But if you feel like your infection is mild and at the beginning stages, put a
few drops of garlic oil or white vinegar into your ear canal and lay down on
the opposite side to let those drops do their work. Garlic and vinegar create
an environment that won’t support the bacteria causing the infection. Repeat a
few times a day until the symptoms disappear. (If your symptoms last longer
than a few days, you should definitely see a doctor!)
7. Sore Muscles and Bruises
After a hard afternoon of rowing with a friend, I resigned myself to a few days
of burning muscles and soreness. But my friend saved the day with a tube of
arnica cream. He rubbed it on my shoulders and voila, instant relief and
absolutely no aches the next day. The humble arnica flower makes an incredible
cream that no medicine cabinet should be without. Use it immediately to speed
up the healing of bruises, sprains, sore muscles, and other general aches.
8. Flatulence
Some foods, like beans and raw veggies, are more likely to cause gas, but if
you find flatulence to be too common of an occurrence, try taking a digestive
enzyme with your meals. You can find these at any health food store.
In the meantime, make use of digestive spices such as ginger, anise,
peppermint, coriander, and dill. You can make tea with these ingredients or
incorporate them into your food.
9. Dandruff
Have you looked at the ingredients in dandruff shampoo? It seems like they
contain almost everything in the Toxic Ingredients You Must Avoid list. Better
to try something natural first before resorting to chemicals. Many people swear
by rubbing aloe vera gel onto the scalp (leave it on for 20 minutes than rinse
it out). This will certainly help with dry, itchy scalp.Another remedy is a
rinse with apple cider vinegar. Try these remedies a few times before deciding
if they work for you. Even dandruff shampoo requires regular use to see
results, so give the natural stuff a chance!
10. Headache and Migraine
Try rubbing peppermint or lavender oil on your temples and the base of your
neck; sniffing these oils may also help.Rub a fresh cut lemon or lime on your
forehead. Feverfew is a good herbal remedy for headaches.
Have a little caffeine by way of green tea, and dont forget to use an ice pack
for 20 minutes to dull the throbbing.
11. Indigestion and Heartburn
It almost goes without saying but consider why you’re getting heartburn in the
first place. Did you overeat? Too much grease or spicy food? Eating late at
night? Scout out the cause and try to stop this before it happens. Then, put
down the antacids.The belching, bloat, and heartburn caused by indigestion come
about because you dont have enough stomach acid to do the job right. A spoonful
or two of apple cider vinegar will help break down the excess food that is
causing you trouble and bring your stomach back to balance.
12. Constipation
First, drink more water and eat more fruit and salads. Youre backed up for a
reason and taking lots of laxatives is not the answer. Meanwhile, drinking a
few teaspoons of olive oil mixed with a bit of orange or (diluted) lemon juice
can help things get moving.Another surefire remedy is 1/4 teaspoon of epsom
salts drunk in 1/2 a glass of water. Sometimes calorie restriction or avoidance
of healthy fats (such as the good fats found in fish, nuts, and avocados) can
worsen constipation.And though its counterintuitive, some people relieve their
constipation by actually cutting back on grain consumption! True, grains
contain fiber, but some people dont digest grains very well. Other causes of
constipation include stress, depression, inactivity, and nutritional
deficiencies. If your constipation is chronic, it may be a sign of a more
serious problem, so please seek medical advice and adjust your lifestyle.
13. Sore Throat
Sore, scratchy throats are usually a sign of a cold or flu coming on, so you
dont want to ignore this symptom, but you can relieve the pain by gargling with
warm salt water a few times a day and then drinking a soothing honey-lemon tea.
14. Burns
So you bumped up against the stove again? Ouch. Rinse first with cold water,
but then immediately apply aloe vera gel to the burn.
For those of us who dont have aloe in the house, slice a potato and rub its
cool, soothing juices all over the burn.
And honey, with its antibacterial properties, is also good topical ointment. If
you can catch the burn immediately, mustard is also reportedly a great salve.
15. Nausea
The classic cure for nausea or carsickness is ginger tea or candied ginger. You
can chew on the stuff raw, if you like, but its so spicy and strong it might
just make you feel worse.
Sniffing real peppermint or lavender oil can also help.
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